Red Meat Brings in the Bacon for Corn & Soy

It may not always be top of mind, but exporting corn and soybeans via beef and pork is an ace in the hole for American ag. 

A new study by the Juday Group shows red meat exports bring home the bacon for corn and soybean farmers. Beef and pork exports = demand for corn and soybeans for feed = a win-win for farmers. 

By the 2025 numbers: 

• Corn producers saw $2.18B in market value from red meat exports 

• Soybean farmers saw $1B 

• Red meat exports led to usage of 500M bushels of corn and 100M bushels of soybeans

Big picture: Red meat exports made up more than $3B in value for grain farmers in 2025: more than $100 per acre for corn. John Hinners, senior VP for industry relations at the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), says growing the export market may pump those numbers even further. 

Soundbite: “This added value is why a diverse range of ag industry sectors work together through USMEF to build global demand for U.S. red meat.” — Hinners